Planting machine



' May 5, 1953 o. G. sTRAuss 2,637,287

PLANTING MACHINE Filed June 24, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l mlllml lo NINVENToR.

BY O.G.STRAUSS ATTORNEY Ma? 5, 1953 o. G. s'rRAuss 2,637,287

PLANTING MACHINE Filed June 24, 194'? 5 Sheets-Sheec 2 INVENToR. O.G.STRAUSS BY ce. (y. 1W

ATTORNEY May 5, 1953 o. G. sTRAuss' 2,637,287

PLANTING MACHINE Filed June 24, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.O.G.STRAUSS BYQ-KA/wwd/v ATTORNEY `May 5, 1953 O. G. STRAUSS PLANTINGMACHgI//NE Filed June 24, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENToR.

` O.G.STRAUSS ATTORNEY May 5 1953 o. G. STR/wss 2,637,287

PLANTING MACHINE Filed June 24. 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JNVENToR. O.G.STRAUSS ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6Claims. (Cl. 111-3) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952),

sec. 266) This application is made under the act of March 3, 1883, asamended by the act of April 30, 1928, and the invention herein describedand claimed, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for theGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a planting machine that may be used for eitherplanting seeds or transplanting seedlings of any of the various plants,such as tomato, tobacco, cabbage, sweetpotato and so forth.

In general according to the invention, the machine is provided with anendless, iiexible element, said element preferably being one member of apair of endless sprocket chains in the form of loops. The loops aredisposed in laterally spaced, longitudinal, vertical planes. Preferablythe loops run over sprockets so arranged as to make the loopssubstantially rectangular, thus forming upper, lower, forward andrearward straight portions, each portion being a side of the rectangle.

Means is provided to translate the element or chains in unison in suchmanner that as the machine is conveyed over the ground the velocity ofthe element or chains at the lower portion is zero relative to theground. A tray (any number may be provided) for holding the material tobe planted is pivotally mounted to the element or between the chains soas to travel therewith. When traveling at the upper portion, the tray isin a substantially horizontal plant material holding position andpreferably is weighted to maintain this position while travelingforwardly along the upper portion and downwardly along the forwardportion. In its substantially horizontal plant material holding positionthe tray is open at the top and forward end so as to be readily loadedwith the material to be planted. Means is provided for moving the trayon its pivotal mounting so that the open end is turned downwardly toengage in the soil and be held in such position as it travels with theelement or chains along the lower portion, thus to deposit the materialinto the soil. Preferably this means is a laterally extending membersecured to the tray and which abuts a chain as the tray travels alongthe lower portion to hold the tray in the desired position.

:Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the ernbodiment, partly insection, showing the machine in' operating position on level ground.

'f Figure 2 is a front elevational view. Y

Figure 3 is a three dimensional view of one of lli 2 the plant carryingtrays, showing the manner in which itis attached.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational View.

Figure 5 is a three dimensional view showing the construction of theadjustable frame.

Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are side elevational views of one of theplant carryingv trays in various positions as it moves about theadjustable frame.

Figure l1 is a side elevational View of the rear section of the machinewith the adjustable frame in an elevated position.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the plant carrying traysas it appears when traveling along the top of the machine.

Figure 13 is a section along the line l3-I`3 of Figure 1.

Referring with more particularity to the drawing, the machine is mountedon a main frame having horizontal bars 2| and 22.

The rear of these bars are supported on an axle 23 upon which the rearwheels 24 and 25 are mounted. The front end of bars 2l and 22 areprovided with a cross beam and a hitch 26 for attachment to a tractor,jeep, draft animal, or other towing means.

To the bars 2| and 22, there are secured upright channels 2, 2S and 29,36 respectively. rlhese channels face inwardly and serve as guidewaysfor the vertically adjustable box frame 3ll-A. The said channels arebraced at the top by means of bars 3l and 32.

The box frame 3t-A consists of four vertical posts 33, 34, 35, and 36,each of which is slidably engaged with one of the channels 2l, 28, 23,and 33, respectively. Posts 33 and 3G are secured together at the topand bottom with tie bars 3l and 38, thus providing one side of theadjustable' frame.

Similar bars 39 and le are provided for the posts 35 and 36 to form theother side of the adjustable frame.

The two sides of the box frame are braced together by means of bottomcross ties ll and 42, secured to the members 38 and 1li), and top crossties 43 and i4 secured to the members 3l and 39, substantially as shown.This structure provides a rigid frame, vertically moveable on posts 2l,28, 29, and 3G. The frame is prevented from moving longitudinally bymeans of pro jections 45, d6, lll, and cl3, secured to the members 33,34, 35, and 3G, engaging the channels 21, 28, 29, and 30, respectively.

The vertical position of the box frame S-A is adjustable by a system of`gears and racks as follows:

' Vertical racks 49, 50, 5|, and 52 are secured to the uprights 33, 34,35, and 30, respectively. Each of these racks engages one of the pinions53, 54, 55, 56. Each pair of opposite pinions 53, and 54, 50, aresecured to a cross shaft 51 and 5t, respectively. These shafts eachcarry a bevel gear 59 and 00 on one side of the machine, and arerotatably supported in pillow blocks A on the uprights. These bevelgears mesh with oppositely facing bevel gears El and 52 respectively,the latter being secured to a longitudinal shaft 63, rotatably mountedin pillow blocks 64 and 65 on the posts 21 and 23. By these means thepinions may all be rotated simultaneously. When rotated in one directionthe frame is elevated, -while rotation in the other direction lowers theframe. These pinions are lowered through a train of gears, the first ofwhich is spur gear 00, secured to an extension of shaft 58. This gearmeshes with an idler 61 mounted on a cross shaft 63, which in turnmeshes with the driving gear 3Q. rlhe latter gear is secured to shaftwhich is mounted in pillow blocks 1| and 12. Gear 69 is rotated by meansof a hand wheel 13 secured to the shaft S0 on one side of the machine.The hand wheel may be held in any desired position by means of dog 10operating against the teeth of a cog '10A on shaft 10.

The box frame 30-A carries a pair of endless, parallel sprocket chains15 and 15 as loops in laterally spaced, longitudinal, Vertical planes,thus forming an upper portion, a lower portion, a forward portion and arearward portion of the loops. Means is provided for translating saidchains in unison over 4 pairs of sprockets, namely, sprockets 11 and 10at the upper rear of the frame, 19 and 00 at the lower rear, 0i and 82at the upper front, and 83 and 04 at the lower front. Sprockets 19 and80 are higher. than sprockets 83 and 84 so as to put an upward angletoward the rear on the lower portion of the loop, the purpose of whichwill be hereinafter explained. Each of these pairs of sprocket wheelsare secured to one of the shafts 85, 85, 81, and 08, respectively. Theseshafts are rotatably mounted on the pillow blocks 89, 89, 90, 90, 9|,9|, and 92, 92 on the frame 30-A.

The sprocket wheels are powered from one of the rear wheels, such aswheel 24. The power is delivered from a gear 93 which is mounted forrotation with the wheel 20. The gear 93 meshes with another gear 94 thatis secured to a cross shaft 95. Said shaft is mounted in bearings 96 and91 on a cross beam 98 at the rear of the machine. A sprocket wheel 99 isalso secured to the shaft 95 to rotate with the gear 94.

There is pivoted to shaft 95 one end of a pair of arms |00 and |0| whichstraddle the sprocket wheel 99. The outer ends of said arms are disposedforwardly and between them is mounted a sprocket wheel |02 on the shaft03. The shaft |03 rotates in bearings at the forward ends of said armssubstantially as shown. The sprocket wheels 99 and |02 are connectedtogether by means of a sprocket chain |04. The shaft |03 carries anothersprocket wheel |05 which can be forced in and out of engagement with asprocket chain |06 by simultaneously moving the arms |00 and |0|. Thesprocket chain |06 drives two sprocket wheels |01 and |08, secured tothe shafts 85 and 86 respectively. By these means power is deliveredfrom the rear wheel 24 to drive the sprocket chains 15 and 16. Thesprocket wheel |05 may be adjusted against sprocket chain |05 to tensionit. This sprocket wheel is held in adjusted position by means of bolts|09 on arms |00 and |0|, operating in slots ||0 and ||0A. By these meansalso a disengagement may be effected between the driving gear and thesprocket chain |00. Another means for effecting such a disengagement isthe clutch on the shaft 95. Either one or the other may be used,depending upon which is the more convenient under the particularcircumstances, although the first means is primarily intended to adjusttension in the sprocket chain |05.

At equal intervals tray assemblies ||2 are pivotally mounted betweenchains 15 and 10 to travel with them. These trays may be of any suitabledesign. The type illustrated (see Fig. 3) is useful for transplantingplants or seedlings and comprises an elongated channel ||3 open at bothends and at the top when in a substantially horizontal plant materialholding position. The length of the tray is sufficient to support theplants or seedlings.

The sides at the front section of the tray taper downwardly toward thedirection of movement substantially as shown. The sides of they rearsection are provided at the top with inwardly extending tabs ||4 and 5.The tabs are preferably slightly depressed at the center, as illustratedin Figure 3, to facilitate placing the plants in the tray in properposition, and at the same time to prevent the plants from beingdisplaced once 'they are set in the trays. Each tray is secured to thetop of a Wide flat U bracket H0. A cross shaft ||1 is secured to thebracket. The ends of the shaft |I1 extend outwardly to the sprocketchains 15 and 16 to which they are pivoted by means of bearing bracketsH0 and H9. These bearing brackets may be either welded to links of thesprocket chains or formed as integral parts thereof.

The tray is weighted with a weight |20 attached to the bottom center ofthe bracket H6, such that the center of gravity of the tray and weightis below the pivotal mounting of the tray, the function of which will behereinafter more fully explained. In order to keep the trays on an evenkeel when material is placed in the trays while traveling along theupper portion of the loop, a pair of guide tracks |2| and |22 of rods,heavy wire or other suitable material is.

disposed slightly above the space between the sprocket chains 15 and 16.ported by lateral extensions |23 and |24 that pass under the sprocketchains and are fastened to the top of the members 31 and 39. These guidetracks engage the bottom of the brackets H0 as shown in Figure 7. Atleast one side of bracket H6 is provided with a laterally extendingmember |25, which functions as an abutment against its correspondingsprocket chain during part of its travel cycle on the sprocket chains,v

hereinafter more fully explained.

A runner |25 for making a furrow in the soil is attached to forwardextensions |21 and-|28 of channels 38 and 00 respectively. Theattachment to these extensions is made by means of a linkv |29 at theforward end of the runner and links |30 and 3| toward the rear. The link|29 is connected to a cross shaft |32 which is rotatably mounted inpillow blocks |33 and |30 on the extensions !21 and |28. The links |30and .|34 are both connected to a cross shaft |35 behind the shaft |32.bearings |35 and |31 on the extensions |21 and |28. An arm |38 has oneend secured to the shaft The tracks are sup- Shaft |35 is rotatablymounted in- |32, and the other end projecting upwardly vwhere it ispinned to the end of a link |39. The other end of the link |39 is pinnedto a handlocking lever |40. Movement of this lever permits a constrainedadjustment of the runner |26 in accordance with the linkage described.

Immediately to the rear of the runner |26, there is secured to thebottom of the movable frame any suitable device for closing the furrowmade by the runner |26.' The device illustrated in the drawing comprisesconventional press plates |43 attached to Suspenders |46, but any othersuitable means may be used, such as press wheels, etc.

In operation the forward end of the machine is connected to a tractor orother suitable towing device (not shown) by means of the hitch 20. Theconnection is made in such a way that the front end of the machine isalso supported by the towing device, although front wheels (not shown)may be added to the device if desired. The vertical position of thevertically adjustable frame is then adjusted by means of the hand wheel13 to the point where the plates |43 and runner |25 are in properposition relative to the ground with respect to the depth oftransplating desired. A closer adjustment for the runner |216 isaccomplished by actuating the lever |40. Atleast one operator isnecessary who sits on one of the seats |44, |45 to feed the plants intothe trays. I-Iowever, if more rapid operation is desired, two operatorsmay be employed, one on each of the seats. Additional operators may beprovided at any suitable point on the machine if additional speed isnecessary. For example, additional seats (not shown) may be added on thefront of the bars 2| and 22, or at the rear thereof.

The machine is then conveyed over the ground where the transplanting isto be accomplished, and the operators place the seedlings in the trays|12, one seedling in each tray. As the machine moves, power is deliveredfrom the rear wheel 24, through gears 93, 04, sprocket 99, sprocketchain |04, sprocket wheels |02 and |05, and sprocket chain |06 to effectrotation of the shafts 85 and 8'6, which in turn rotate the sprocketwheels 1l, '18, 19, and 80, causing the sprocket chains "i5 and '|I6 tomove around on their supporting sprocket wheels and carry with them theplant trays l2. The power train from the rear wheel 24 to the sprocketchains l5 and 76 is so designed that the velocity of the sprocket chainsI5 and 'I6 at the lower portion of the loops is zero relative to theground. This requires the linear speed of the chains relative to theframe to be equal to the ground speed of the vehicle. The choice ofgearing ratios to accomplish this purpose may be made by any one skilledin the art.

As the plant trays travel around the chains l5, 16, they pass throughfour distinct position cycles. At the upper portion of the loops (seeFigure 7) the plant trays are in their substantially horizontal plantmaterial holding or loading position and each is held that Way by meansof its weight |20. Also, as they travel forwardly with the chains inthis position, the trays are maintained in 'a steady position by meansof the guide tracks |2| and |22. While traveling forwardly, thelaterally extending member |25 projects above one of the chains out ofcontact therewith.

The plants are placed on the trays in this position by the operator withthe root end `atthe front and the leaf end toward the rear. The slightdeclination of the tabs ||4and ||5 assists the plants indroppingidowninto the tray and also holds them in that position until they are readyto be released. f

As the plant trays proceed toward the front, they leave the tracks |2|and |22, are carried over the sprockets 8| and 82 and hence traveldownwardly with the chains along their forward portion. However, thetrays are still maintained in a substantially horizontal plant materialholding position due to the action of gravity on the weight |20. SeeFigure 8. In this position also, it will be noted that the laterallyextending member |25 is disposed forwardly of the sprocket chain.

As each plant tray proceeds farther, it travels around the sprockets 83and 04, and in doing so is pivoted so that its open forward end isturned downwardly to engage into the soil, as it travels with the chainsalong their lower portion, due to the fact that the force of the weight|20 holds the extending member |25 in abutment with its correspondingsprocket chain, the laterally extending member coming into abutment withthe chain on the lower side thereof as the tray travels from the forwardportion to the lower portion of the loop, thus to pivot the tray andhold it With its open end downward during such travel.

At this point the tray-is between the sides of the runner |26 at therear section thereof where the furrow has been made.

With the tray in this position the plant is disposed upright with itsroot end directly against the bottom of the furrow. Since the velocityof the sprocket chains 15 and 1B along the bottom is zero relative tothe ground, the plant tray serves to maintain the seedlings in anupright position until the furrow closer |46 operates about it and packsthe soil tightly around the plant.

At the same time that this action is taking place, the plant tray isalso being gradually elevated. See Figure 1. The combination of thisaction plus the fact that the lower end of the tray in this position istapered, permits a close packing of soil about the plants. Asthe tray isWithdrawn, the soil packed about the plant holds it in place. Eventullythe plant tray in this position is fully withdrawn from the soil as itselevation is continued until it reaches the sprocket wheels 19 and 80.As the plant tray moves about the sprocket wheels it is maintained inthe same relative position with respect to the sprocket chains by virtueof the abutment of member |25 against the sprocket chain. When the chaineventually assumes a vertical position, the weight |20 will at rst be ontop of the tray (see Figure 6) and the momentum imparted to the weightin moving from a horizontal to a vertical position will cause it to bethrown inwardly of the vertical center line of the pivot shaft whereuponthe extending member disengages itself from the chain. The effect of theweight will then be to turn the tray by gravity about its pivot therebycausing the tray to assume its substantially horizontal plant materialholding position.

As the tray is carried upward by the sprocket chains and passes over thesprocket Wheels il and 18, the weight i 20 maintains it in itssubstantially horizontal plant material holding position until it againcontacts the guide-rods |2| and |22, at which time the cycle ofoperation is repeated.

Sprocket chain linksy being removable, any number of plant carryingtrays may be included for any desired interval of planting.

It may be seen from FiguresV l and 11 that the machine may be used Iforplanting and transplanting on level ground or inridge rows, merely .byadjusting the elevation of the frame y30g-A. Figure vl shows the framein position for planting on level ground, and Figure 11 shows theposition for planting in ridge rows.

Having thusdescribed my invention, I claim:

l. A planting machine comprising a pair of endless sprocket chains inthe form of loops disposed in laterally-spaced longitudinal verticalplanes, each loop consisting of a substantially horizontal upperportion, a substantially vertical forward portion, a lower portion and asubstantially vertical rear portion, means or translating said cha-insin unison such that as the planting machine is conveyed over the groundthe upper portions travel forwardly, the forward portions traveldownwardly, the lower portions travel rearwardly, the rear portions.travel upwardly and the velocity of the lower portions is zero relativeto the ground, a tray for holding material to vbe planted pivotallymounted between the chains to travel with them, a weight attached to thetray such that the .center of gravity of the weight and tray is belowthe pivotal mounting of the tray to maintain said tray in asubstantially horizontal plant material holding position while travelingforwardly alongthe upper portions and downwardly along the forwardportions, said tray when in said holding position being open at the topand forward end, a laterally extending member secured to said tray anddisposed above one of said chains out of contact therewith while thetray is traveling forwardly and disposed forwardly oi' said chain whilethe tray is traveling downwardly, said member coming into contact withsaid chain under iniluence of gravity as the o tray turns from travelingdownwardly along the forward portions to traveling rearwardly along thelower portions to move the tray on its pivotal mounting and hold it withits open .end downwardly during travel along the lower portions, saidmember coming out of contact with said chain under the inuence of themomentum imparted said tray and weight as the tray turns from travelingalong the lower portions to traveling the rear portions for releasingthe tray from the position with its open end downwardly and permittingthe tray to `move on its pivotal mounting under the influence of gravityto said holding position.

2. A yplanting machine comprising a flexible element in the -form of aloop disposed in a longitudinal vertical plane and consisting of asubstantially -horizontal'upper portion, a substantially verticalforward portion, a lower portion and a substantially -vertical rearportion, means for translating said element such that as the plantingmachine is conveyed over the ground the upper portion travels forwardly,the forward portion travels downwardly, the lower portion travelsrearwardly, the rear-portion travels upwardly and the lvelocity of thelower portion is zero relative to the ground, altray for holdingmaterial -to be 'planted pivotally mounted on said element vto ltraveltherewith, a weight attached to the tray such that the center of gravityof the weight and tray is below the pivotal mounting of the tray to.maintain said tray in a substantially horizontal plant material holdingposition while traveling forwardly along vthe Iupper portion anddownwardly along the forward portion, said tray when 4in said holdingposition'being open at the top and forward Aend, a 'laterally extendingmember secured to .said tray anddisposedfabove saidelement out.ofcontact therewith while the tray lis ltraveling forwardly vand.disposed forwardly Aof said element while the tray ris traveling down,-wardly, said member coming into contact with said element underinfluence of gravity as the tray turns from traveling downwardly alongthe forward portion to traveling rearwardly along the lower portion tomove the tray on its pivotal mounting and hold it with its open end downwardly during travel along the lower portion, said member .coming outof contact with said element under the iniluence of the momentumimparted said tray and weight as ,the tray turns from traveling alongthe lower portion to traveling along the rear portion for releasing thetray from the position with its open end downwardly and permitting thetray to move on its pivotal mounting under the inuence of gravity tosaid holding position.

8. A planting machine comprising a pair of endless sprocket chains inthe form of loops disposed in laterally-spaced longitudinal verticalplanes, each loop consisting of a substantially horizontal upperportion, a substantially vertical forward portion, a lower portion and asubstan, tially vertical rear portion, means for translating said chainsin unison such that as the planting machine is conveyed over the groundthe upper portions travel forwardly, the forward portions traveldownwardly, the lower portions travel rearwardly, the rear portionstravel upwardly and the velocity of the lower portions is zero relativeto the ground, a tray for holding material to be lanted pivotallymounted between the chains to travel with them, a weight attached to thetray such that the center of gravity of the weight and tray is below thepivotal mounting of the tray to maintain said tray lin a substantially.horizontal plant material holding position while traveling forwardlyalong the upper portions and downwardly along the -forward portions,said tray when in said holding position being open at the top andforward end, and means associated with said tray brought intocooperative relationship with one of said chains as the tray turns fromtraveling downwardly along the forward portions to vtraveling rearwardlyalong the lower portions to move the tray on its pivotal mounting andhold it with its open end downwardly during travel along the lowerportions, said means coming out of said cooperative relationship withsaid chain .under the influence .of the momentum imparted said tray landweight as the tray turns from traveling along the lower portions totraveling along the rear portions forreleasing the tray from theposition with its vopen end downwardly and permitting the tray to moveon its pivotal mounting under 4the influence of ygravity to said holdingposition.

4. A planting machine comprising a ilexible element in the form of aloop disposed in a longitudinal vertical plane and consisting of asubstantially horizontal -upper portion, a substantially verticalforward portion, a Vlower portion anda substantially vertical rearportion, means for translating said element such that as the plantingmachine-is conveyed over the ground the-upper portion travels forwardly,the forward portion -travels downwardly, the lower portion travelsrearwardly, the -rear portion travels upwardly and the Y,velocity .ofthe -lower portion vis zerorelative to the ground, a Ytray for holdingmaterial to be planted pivotally mounted on said element lto traveltherewith, a weight attached to the Atray such that the center ofgravity of the weight and trayis below the pivotal ymounting of thetray-to maintain said-tray in a subthe lower portion to move the tray onits pivotal mounting and hold it with its open end downwar-:ily duringtravel along the lower portion, said means coming out of saidcooperative rela-- tionship with said element under the inns-.ence o themomentum imparted said tray and weight as the tray turns from travelingalong the lower portion to traveling along the rear portion forreleasing the from the position with its open end downwardly andpermitting the tray to move on its pivotal mounting under the influencegravity to said holding position.

5, A planting machine comprising a iiexible element in the form of aloop disposed in a longitudinal vertical plane and comprising an upperportion, a forward portion, a lower portion and a rear portion, means:for translating said element such that as the planting machine isconveyed over the ground the upper .portion travels forwardly, theforward portion travels downwardly, the lower portion travelsrearwardly, the rear portion travels upwardly and the velocity of thelower portion is zero relative to the ground, a tray for holdingmaterial to be planted pivotally mounted on said element to traveltherewith, said tray being so weighted that its center of gravity isbelow its pivotal mounting to maintain said tray in a substantiallyhorizontal plant material holding position while traveling forwardlyalong the upper portion and downwardly along the forward portion, saidtray when in said holding position being open at the top and forwardend, and means associated with said tray brought into cooperativerelationship with said element as the tray turns from travelingdownwardly along the forward portion to traveling rearwardly along thelower portion to move the tray on its pivotal mounting and hold it withits open end downwardly during travel along the lower portion, saidmeans coming out of said cooperative relationship with said elementafter travel of the tray along the lower portion for releasing the trayfrom the position with its open end downwardly and .permitting the trayto move on its pivotal mounting under the inuence of gravity to saidholding position.

6. A planting machine comprising a pair of endless sprocket chains inthe form of loops disposed in laterally-spaced longitudinal verticalplanes each loop comprising an upper portion, a forward portion, a lowerportion and a rear portion, means for translating said chains in unisonsuch that as the planting machine is conveyed over the ground the upperportions travel forwardly, the forward portions travel downwardly, thelower portions travel rearwardly, the rear portions travel upwardly andthe velocity of the lower portions is zero relative to the ground, atray for holding material to be planted pivotally mounted between thechains to travel with them, said tray being so weighted that its centerof gravity is below its pivotal mounting to maintain said tray in asubstantially horizontal plant material holding position while travelingforwardly along the upper portions and downwardly along the forwardportions, said tray when in said holding position being open at the topand forward end, and means associated with said tray brought intocooperative relationship with one of said chains as the tray turns fromtraveling downwardly along the forward portion to traveling rearwardlyalong the lower portion to move the tray on its pivotal mounting andhold it with its open end downwardly during travel along the lowerportion, said means coming out of said cooperative relationship withsaid chain under the influence of the momentum imparted said tray as thetray turns from traveling along the lower portion to traveling along therear portion for releasing the tray from the position with its open enddownwardly and permitting the tray to move on its pivotal mounting underthe inluence of gravity to said holding position.

OBER G. STRAUSS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,506,843 Komarnisky Sept. 2, 1924 1,765,467 Vollink June 24,1930 1,768,534 Aiken July 1, 1930 1,802,273 Richards et al Apr. 21, 19311,996,686 Poll Apr. 2, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,129Great Britain 1895 321,433 Germany June 3, 1920 325,571 Great BritainFeb. 21, 1930 434,035 Germany Sept. 17, 1926

